Wednesday’s pass at computing Lyon County’s 2009 budget would have the county facing a 5-mill tax increase over last year. Some Lyon County commissioners say that figure is unacceptable.
County Controller Dan Slater spoke with commissioners on the budget numbers during Wednesday’s Lyon County Commission meeting. Slater said that he would like to see the mill levy increase as little as possible.
“And 5 mills is just not acceptable,” he said. “... This is a year where we’d really like to keep the numbers as low as we can.”
This pass of the budget would take Lyon County’s mill levy from 51.39 mills to 56.659 mills. Commissioner Marshall Miller said he would like to see the increase be 2 mills or less.
That can’t happen without some cuts in the budget. The county is seeing increased appropriation requests nearly across the board. County departments seeking increases are: Lyon County Attorney, 6 percent; Lyon County District Court, 7 percent; Lyon County Controller, 17 percent; law enforcement, 3 percent; Lyon Count Appraiser, 10 percent; Lyon County Jail, 8 percent; ambulance, 74 percent; Lyon County Counselor, 73 percent; transportation, 12 percent; road and bridge, 7 percent; mental health, 10 percent; special road and bridge, 6 percent; tort and liability, 30 percent; and general fund, 5 percent.
The Lyon County Ambulance Service appropriation request is further complicating things. The city of Emporia is requesting $270,000 from the county for 2009. The county previously had allocated $100,000 for this in 2009’s preliminary figures. Slater said he doesn’t know why the city has asked for that amount of money because there has been no explanation.
“At this point, I can’t even recommend paying it because we want to make sure we’re getting dollar for dollar,” Slater said.
Fuel costs factor into nearly everything the county does.
“Almost everything the county buys is more expensive, and dramatically more expensive in most cases,” Slater said.
Among departments most affected by fuel prices are road and bridge, law enforcement, jail and facilities.
Commissioners also discussed where to trim the budget — including the budgets of social service agencies. County Counselor Marc Goodman jumped into the discussion at this point.
“As a point of information, when you talk about social services ... mental health, the health center, Corner House, Kansas Legal Services ... every one of those programs relates a lot either with care and treatment with public health or with law enforcement or prosecution,” Goodman said. “The Department of Corrections is not going to keep these people in prison (even) if these programs are not funded. What will happen is they will be discharged into the community without these services.”
Without social services and rehabilitation programs offenders will end up back in jail. Goodman said without these services, the cost will come back to the county in other ways.
“If you’re going to look at shearing things, you’re going to have to look at road rock versus people,” he said.
Comments
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Posted by paulkersey (anonymous) on July 17, 2008 at 10:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How much would the proposed sales tax increase offset the mill levy increase?
Posted by justthinkin (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 3:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Slater basically explained the 74% increase to the ambulance budget, putting that off on the City's request for higher contribution that previously budgeted. With that explained, I would now be curious as to what makes up the 73% increase in the County Counselor's budget, and for that matter, what has been included that increases the Controller's budget request by 17%.
Posted by OutsiderJ (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am tax base ignorant...I admit it. No Joke.
This article sounds like a bad thing?
I still can't figure out what a mill is...I think it is an arbitrary number used to represent a ratio of dollars to tax payers? But I don't know.
I have moved around a lot in the past and have never voted on a mill increase, a tax increase.
I don't own any real estate or property per se.
I am not married and have no kids, so I don't know much about how this effects the education system locally.
I have only ridden in an ambulance once.
I have no idea what a county controller does.
I don't even know what a county counselor is. Is the county depressed or in a bad relationship with another county?
I like roads and bridges.
We need police officers.
I do not have a mental impairment or a substance abuse problem.
I would be the last voter anyone wouId or should ask about spending money on services. I guess I should have educated myself on this issue before it was staring down my nose.
I don't think I am alone. I think the majority of people out there are pretty close to my level of knowledge on the county tax/mill aparatus. Its frightening when these numbers and figures and budgets get thrown at us.
Is there a simple reference to explain these things to the average citizen? I say average because I like to think that civically I am above average. How it all works, I am below average. So the mean is average.
Just wondering if I am alone in my ignorance.
Posted by create (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OutsiderJ: I found this for you on the net. That gives you a start. I found it interesting and learned a bit myself. I apologize for the length, but the final paragraph is especially enlightening.
The per mil symbol is used in mathematics, and especially in economics, to indicate parts per thousand. The symbol resembles a fraction with zero in the numerator and a double zero in the denominator ( ).
Suppose m and n are two integer s. The ratio or quotient m / n is converted to a per mil value by multiplying by 1000, and then reducing the result to decimal form. Thus, for example, to convert 3/50 to a per mil value, we first multiply by 1000, getting (3000/50) , and then reduce this to its simplest form, obtaining 60 . If we have 3/5 and want to convert it to a per mil value, we follow the same procedure, obtaining (3000/5) which reduces to 600 .
If we have a decimal number and want to convert it to a per mil value, we multiply it by 1000. Therefore, 0.06 is 60 , while 0.6 is 600 .
Per mil values are sometimes used to indicate the extent to which a quantity increases or decreases. Such values can be greater than 1000, indicating an increase to more than twice the original value, or negative, indicating a decrease in a value. For example, suppose an aircraft is traveling at 50 meters per second (m/s). If its speed changes to 125 m/s, it is an increase of 75 m/s which is 1.5 times the original speed, so the speed is said to change by +1500 . If the speed changes from 50 m/s to only 10 m/s, it decreases by 4/5, or 800 , of the original speed, so the speed is said to change by -800 .
Per mil values are sometimes used to express the extent of an annual tax levy on a property, particularly real estate. For example, if the levy is 15 in a particular area, that means $15 per $1000 of assessed value. A $300,000 house would thus be assessed an annual tax of $300,000 x 15 , or $4500.
Posted by sadinemporia (anonymous) on July 18, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
outsider...i couldn't agree with you more...mill who? county counselor increase 73%...what is this for, salaries?? the county must have a lot more money than they let on...since this comes from our tax dollars, don't we, the taxpayers, have a say on whether or not the county counselor should get a 73% increase or the controllers budget of 17% increase...we have three people who represent 20 some thousand people...doesn't seem quite right does it...just a thought...
Posted by justthefacts (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 12:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have a hard time believing the city just sprung the increased amounts on the county for the ambulance. Last time I read in the paper about a year ago, I thought city and county officials were talking at least monthly and they reviewed all their stuff at least annually?
Sounds like someone is just passing the buck to me.Maybe the Gazette can check with the city to see if this is an accurate statement issued by the county that it was a surprise.
Posted by OutsiderJ (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
create--
Thank you from the bottom of heart. That was enlightening. I think I understand the basics, and this article seems to be a little daunting. Considering certain economic conditions right now I think a 5 mil increase would be devestating to some property owners. Is this figured into property taxes on automobiles as well? Does anyone know off the top of their head what the current mill levy is?
Posted by create (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You're welcome, OutsiderJ.
Like you, I believe a 5 mil increase would be devastating to most of us in view of how tight many of us have to hold on while the economy blows us everywhere but loose.
The city of Emporia web site has some mil levy charts on it, but try as I might, I can't seem to open that web site today. Their server may be down or something. Will try later.
Posted by create (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OutsiderJ, here's a link to the City of Emporia's current mil levy chart. You'll probably have to print it out to read it since it is sideways.
http://www.emporia-kansas.gov/pdf/2009bu...
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